Anyone know of a rack they would recommend that could protect from a very dusty environment. Equipment will be installed in a basement that is being used for a wood-working shop.

Thanks

Good question. How do you keep dust out but still have good cooling. Maybe build a small room around it and vent to outside air.

[Link: server-rack-online.com]

Middle Atlantic has enclosed racks with filtered vent panels.

First thing that needs to be made sure of is that the wood working tools have proper dust collection. If that much is done, your job will be much easier... That may be a lot of work or impractical depending of the set up.

You may also want to consider simply bringing forced air to the rack using a blower and flexible ductwork. (like a dryer tube)

Bring the clean air from the another area (maybe just the first floor) into the bottom of the enclosed, but not sealed rack. This will create positive air pressure inside the cabinet and dust will not enter. Very simple, and no filters to worry about.

I'm a big fan of Middle Atlantic but from what I have seen their racks have only minimum protection from dust. I'll be happy to stand corrected if anyone knows different. For the stated application I would look for a rack specifically desgined to be dust free and even then I would qualify what the manufacturer means by that. Does that rack I linked to look like it would be an option idodishez?

Putting a rack in a wood shop is a mistake. There is no dust collection system on the planet that collects 100% of the dust. your best bet is to either put it somewhere else. Second option is to do what Jay suggest. If you can cause enough positive air pressure with clean air, in theory this should work.

It would work Im sure, but may be overkill as its waterproof as well, (and shows in the price tag)

I called Middle Atlantic and they pretty much confrimed what you said as far as them not having an ideal solution.

I may end up building an enclosed room as an alternative.

Thanks all for the tips

Thats cool Q, but you still have to get cool air to the bottom of that rack. Looks like its built for a raised floor server room type of place. Could work if you could get clean air in from somewhere else and then seal that open space in the bottom around the inlet pipe. But man, I would worry about heat. Have to be a lot of air coming inside to provide positive pressure and keep it cool.

Jay, have you done this before? Even though Middle Atlantic's white papers describe pressurizing a rack for this very reason, it is very limited, and goes on to say that "this white paper doesnt cover rack pressurizing" pages 32 - 35 of this document [Link: repnet.middleatlantic.com]

I called both Middle Atlantic and A@#D, and they both say that Middle Atlantic doesnt make anything for this applcation, even though the white papers describe the process.

So if you have done it, what or seen it done, what typ eof rack did you use? Think Ill be safe w a normal M/A rack, even though its not "sealed" airtight, as lomng as it is built with solid side and back panels, etc? Put a vent panel or filtered fan intake on the bottom, and a vent panel or exhaust hose on the top?

Of course, if you went further than this planet then a black hole would collect 100% of the dust.

In that case time would stop and he would not be able to collect his money so he better get payment up front.

If you can go with an isolated room, that would give nearly guaranteed results. If it ain't sealed, it's gonna load up with dust. For ventilation, I prefer powering the exhaust of a space from up high and provide adequate makeup air low in the space. In this case, exhaust and makeup should come from some area completely seperate from the wood-working mess. That crap belongs in a backyard workshop.

bump

I may end up building an enclosed room as an alternative.

That should be your best bet. Why ask for trouble. Imagine installing it like you were thinking. You get a call from the homeowner 6 months later because it has accumulated 3/4" of wood dust. The amplifier is making funny popping sounds because it has dust in the nice $1000.00 amp you sold him. Can't send it in for warranty, so you have to buy him a new one. Would you do this in your house?